Saudi Arabia vs South Africa: Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes
Saudi Arabia
370,514
in 2024
South Africa
329,214
in 2023
Saudi Arabia rank
19th
South Africa rank
21st
Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes over time
- Saudi Arabia
- South Africa
How they compare
Saudi Arabia currently reports 370,514 against 329,214 in South Africa, a difference of 41,300.
That makes Saudi Arabia's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.
Across all 11 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
Saudi Arabia ranks 19th and South Africa ranks 21st of 149 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Saudi Arabia | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 176,561 | 333,870 | 157,308 | South Africa |
| 2020s | 238,944 | 324,208 | 85,264 | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes, Saudi Arabia or South Africa?
- Saudi Arabia, at 370,514 against 329,214 in South Africa as of 2024.
- What is the difference in enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes between Saudi Arabia and South Africa?
- 41,300, with Saudi Arabia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Saudi Arabia and South Africa?
- 11 years are reported by both, from 2012 to 2022.
- How do Saudi Arabia and South Africa rank globally for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 19th and South Africa ranks 21st of 149 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release